WICHITA, Kansas – Construction of a bypass pipe at the main water treatment plant is now ready for use in the event the leaking primary pipe fails.

Next, crews will add new structural supports and test the treatment process. They are scheduled to finish the final steps of construction on Friday and will work on the treatment components through the weekend. The bypass pipe should be activated on Monday so the primary feed pipe can be drained.

The repair process to the primary feed pipe will also begin on Monday. Once water is drained from the pipe, work will begin on locating the source of the leak. A plan to make repairs will then be developed. Repairs will need to be made prior to irrigation season because water demand increases in the spring, and the bypass pipe cannot meet that level of demand.